Gustducin polynucleotides, vectors, host cells and recombinant methods

Abstract

A novel taste cell specific guanine nucleotide binding protein, gustducin, is disclosed as well as polynucleotide sequences encoding the α subunit of gustducin. Also disclosed are methods of modifying taste involving agents that inhibit or activate the gustducin α subunit, methods for identifying such taste modifying agents and various taste modifying agents.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A purified and isolated gustducin α subunit polynucleotide consisting of the nucleotide sequence set out in SEQ ID NO: 11. 
     
     
       2. A purified and isolated polynucleotide encoding a gustducin α subunit polypeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence set out in SEQ ID NO: 12. 
     
     
       3. A biologically functional DNA vector comprising a polynucleotide according to claim 1 or 2. 
     
     
       4. A host cell stably transformed or transfected with a polynucleotide according to claim 1 or 2. 
     
     
       5. A method for producing gustducin α subunit polypeptide comprising the steps of growing a host cell according to claim 4 in a suitable nutrient medium and isolating gustducin α subunit polypeptide from said cell or the medium of its growth.